putting new shocks on
Discussion
I stumbled across Derek from Ab shocks today at the classic ford show and decided to invest in a set of new Gaz shocks. He offered some useful tips on installation, but before I go ahead can anyone offer any advise on getting them on? Easy job?
My main worry is my freshly painted and waxed undercarriage making all those bolts look like blobs. Nitromors????
Cheers;)
My main worry is my freshly painted and waxed undercarriage making all those bolts look like blobs. Nitromors????
Cheers;)
Fitting them is dead easy - getting the ride height right is a bit if a trial and error process.
You should also use new locking nuts on the shock mounting bolts - the 2 top rear ones on mine are half height otherwise you can't get it between the body and the top mounting bracket.
These are a bit of a bugger to find but I got some in the end from a local supplier.
The nuts are half inch UNF thread.
Incidentally I just bought the Steve Heath bolt kit which doesn't have the half height nuts - which is a bit of a dissapointment.
Then you need to experiment with the shock settings - again a trial and error process.
You should also use new locking nuts on the shock mounting bolts - the 2 top rear ones on mine are half height otherwise you can't get it between the body and the top mounting bracket.
These are a bit of a bugger to find but I got some in the end from a local supplier.
The nuts are half inch UNF thread.
Incidentally I just bought the Steve Heath bolt kit which doesn't have the half height nuts - which is a bit of a dissapointment.
Then you need to experiment with the shock settings - again a trial and error process.
The clicks you're talking about adjust the damping.
The spring sits on a metal ring that screws up and down the shaft of the shock - you'll have to jack it up so theres no weight on it and even then it may not be easy to move. Make sure you do both sides the same amount - worth making a mark with a marker pen or something and doing x number of turns at a time till you get close.
Each time you adjust it you need to drop the car and move it forward and back to settle the suspension down again.
I have Avo's and they have a 6mm grub screw to lock the bottom ring in position. I took this out and put a 6mm bolt in it to I could turn the spring seat ring to adjust it. There is a special tool for adjusting the ring which I think is specific to each manufacturer but I didn't need it.
C
The spring sits on a metal ring that screws up and down the shaft of the shock - you'll have to jack it up so theres no weight on it and even then it may not be easy to move. Make sure you do both sides the same amount - worth making a mark with a marker pen or something and doing x number of turns at a time till you get close.
Each time you adjust it you need to drop the car and move it forward and back to settle the suspension down again.
I have Avo's and they have a 6mm grub screw to lock the bottom ring in position. I took this out and put a 6mm bolt in it to I could turn the spring seat ring to adjust it. There is a special tool for adjusting the ring which I think is specific to each manufacturer but I didn't need it.
C
V8ish
Chris is right - I replaced the shocks on my S2 last week, really easy to do. I got my GAZ Shocks from George and Derek at Absolutly Shocks as well. They come complete with Springs, Bushes and a 'C' spanner that fits to adjust the spring seat for your ride height. The only fiddly bit is accessing the top nuts on the rear shocks.
I set my new shocks up on the bench first, to give me a rough starting point with the ride height as follows:
Rear Springs were preloaded to a length of 21.5cm end to end(9" springs @ 300lb)
Front Springs were preloaded to 19cm end to end(8" springs @ 375lb)
Once fitted the ride height was OK at the back but I had to increase the spring load by 11 full turns on the spring seats on the front shocks. I got a lot of information on correct ride height and damping adjustments from the following thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Top tip - leave all the top and bottom mounting bolts loose until after you have finished adjusting the ride height; this will ensure that the top and bottom bushes stay unstressed. Hope it goes OK for you.
Pete
Chris is right - I replaced the shocks on my S2 last week, really easy to do. I got my GAZ Shocks from George and Derek at Absolutly Shocks as well. They come complete with Springs, Bushes and a 'C' spanner that fits to adjust the spring seat for your ride height. The only fiddly bit is accessing the top nuts on the rear shocks.
I set my new shocks up on the bench first, to give me a rough starting point with the ride height as follows:
Rear Springs were preloaded to a length of 21.5cm end to end(9" springs @ 300lb)
Front Springs were preloaded to 19cm end to end(8" springs @ 375lb)
Once fitted the ride height was OK at the back but I had to increase the spring load by 11 full turns on the spring seats on the front shocks. I got a lot of information on correct ride height and damping adjustments from the following thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Top tip - leave all the top and bottom mounting bolts loose until after you have finished adjusting the ride height; this will ensure that the top and bottom bushes stay unstressed. Hope it goes OK for you.
Pete
I also forgot to say if you want to fiddle with the damping mount the rear shocks with the damping adjuster pointing backwards - and the front ones with it pointing downwards. I have orang utan long arms and mounted this way I can reach the adjusters under the car - no wheels removed or jacking up required.
(See if you can reach the bottom of the shocks from the front / rear of the car first as you may not be able to!)
Once you're happy if you're worried about the adjusters getting broken (possible on the front) then remove the shock and mount it the other way round so the adjuster points upwards away from the road.
Chris
(See if you can reach the bottom of the shocks from the front / rear of the car first as you may not be able to!)
Once you're happy if you're worried about the adjusters getting broken (possible on the front) then remove the shock and mount it the other way round so the adjuster points upwards away from the road.
Chris
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